Worth noting

• Pirates manager Clint Hurdle said that left-hander Francisco Liriano would be available out of his bullpen for Game 5 if Cole had to come out of the game early. Hurdle added that he will not pitch A.J. Burnett on Wednesday in order to keep Burnett ready to start Game 1 of the NLCS on Friday, if Pittsburgh advances.

• Matheny said that aside from the normal pregame pitchers' and hitters' meetings, there would be no special motivational gathering prior to Wednesday's elimination game.

"I'd be big on it if I thought it was necessary," Matheny said. "I'm not big on team meetings just to have meetings [unless] something is missing, something is lacking, especially the things that we can control, like our concentration or the effort. And, obviously, from our last game, those aren't issues. So when the guys are going about it the right way, when they're preparing and they're absolutely fighting, you want them to just keep going that way."

• In the 32 innings since scoring a record seven runs in the third inning of Game 1, the Cardinals have scored just eight times. The offense entered Wednesday having hit .192 with a .284 on-base percentage in the best-of-five series. Pittsburgh had a .189 team average.

• Left-hander Jaime Garcia (shoulder surgery) continues to progress in his throwing program and is on track to follow a normal offseason program.